Category: Desserts

The exact origins of ice cream and its inventor(s) remain some of life’s great mysteries. Historically, it is known to have existed as far back as the second century B.C. Historians conjecture that sherbet evolved into ice cream during the 16th century, and it is documented that Charles I regularly enjoyed “Cream Ice,” during the…

This recipe is adapted from the Tanyard Farm Buttermilk Cake recipe published by King Arthur Flour. Tanyard Farm, in West Hartford, Vermont, is an old-fashioned, family farm that includes Jersey cows, chickens, and pigs, and vegetables and flowers. Although it no longer exists, it used to also have a bakery, where the original recipe was developed. Thanks…

Cobblers originated in the British American colonies. English settlers were unable to make traditional suet puddings due to lack of suitable ingredients and cooking equipment, so instead covered a stewed filling with a layer of uncooked plain biscuits or dumplings, fitted together. This recipe sounds weird when you read it, but it is extremely easy…

I love pecan pie. I hate corn syrup. Most pecan pie recipes use the loathsome ingredient, an unholy union for sure, and that is a situation that we can no longer in good conscience tolerate. What is corn syrup? It’s a tacky, syrupy substance made from corn starch and contains maltose and higher oligosaccharides, depending on…

Spumoni (from spuma, meaning foam), is an Italian flavor of ice cream containing chocolate, fruits (usually cherries) and nuts (typically pistachio). Like Neapolitan ice cream, it is created in layers, and it is very popular in countries with large Italian populations such as the US and Argentina. (I am a US citizen of Argentine descent, so…

Honey is a magical, sweet and healthy food made by bees using the nectar of flowers. Humans have been collecting honey for at least 8,000 years, as depicted in ancient cave drawings in Valencia, Spain. The ancient Egyptians, Eurasians, Indians, Chinese, Romans and Mayans all cooked with honey. The Hindus believed it to be…

Cheesecake is one of my favorite things to bake and my recipe file contains some 180+ variants of it. It is a dessert with a history and may have dated as far back as ancient Greece. The earliest literary reference to a cheesecake is by the Greek physician Aegimus, who wrote a book on the art…

I am not a great cake baker. In fact, I am a terrible cake baker, but this cake makes even me look good. This recipe comes from Gourmet and in fact it is the most reviewed recipe on Epicurious. It is a perfect, moist, dark chocolate cake that is not too dense. I made it with…